Sensor for bale shape monitoring in round balers

Abstract

A bale shape indicator includes a sensor configured for use with a substantially cylindrical bale being formed, to indicate, in a non-contacting manner, the presence of crop components corresponding to a predetermined area of an end region of the bale. The indications are capable of being manipulated to determine a density value for the end region of the bale.

1. A rotary baler for forming cylindrical bales composed of a harvested crop, the rotary baler of the type having a bale-forming chamber which is expandable during bale formation, the rotary baler comprising:
 at least two sensors disposed in the chamber, each sensor configured to indicate the presence of crop components corresponding to a predetermined area along an end region of the bale by emitting wave-lengths from the sensor onto the predetermined area and measuring the absorbance or reflectance of the wavelengths; and 
 a controller configured to receive the indications from each sensor and calculate a density value for each end region of the bale to permit monitoring of the cylindrical profile of the bale. 
 
   
   
     2. The rotary baler of  claim 1  wherein the controller permits the formation of the bale having substantially uniform density. 
   
   
     3. The rotary baler of  claim 1  wherein the sensors use at least one wavelength within the electromagnetic spectrum. 
   
   
     4. The rotary baler of  claim 3  wherein at least one of the sensors is an ultraviolet sensor. 
   
   
     5. The rotary baler of  claim 3  wherein at least one of the sensors is an infrared sensor. 
   
   
     6. The rotary baler of  claim 1  further comprises a comparator to compare the density values of each end region of the bale. 
   
   
     7. The rotary baler of  claim 6  wherein the comparator is configured to automatically compare the density values of each end region of the bale and initiate a repositioning of the rotary baler to maintain the cylindrical profile of the bale. 
   
   
     8. The rotary baler of  claim 6  further comprises a device to alert an operator of the density values. 
   
   
     9. The rotary baler of  claim 8  wherein the device is a display device. 
   
   
     10. The rotary baler of  claim 8  wherein the device is an audio device. 
   
   
     11. A bale shape indicator comprising:
 a wavelength emitting sensor configured for use with a substantially cylindrical bale being formed, to indicate and transmit data regarding, in a non-contacting manner, the presence of crop components corresponding to a predetermined area of an end region of the bale by emitting wavelengths from the sensor onto the predetermined area and measuring the absorbance or reflectance of the wave lengths, the data capable of being manipulated to determine a density value for the end region of the bale. 
 
   
   
     12. The bale shape indicator of  claim 11  wherein a controller manipulates the data. 
   
   
     13. The bale shape indicator of  claim 11  wherein the sensor uses at least one wavelength within the electromagnetic spectrum. 
   
   
     14. The bale shape indicator of  claim 13  wherein the sensor is an ultraviolet sensor. 
   
   
     15. The bale shape indicator of  claim 13  wherein the sensor is an infrared sensor. 
   
   
     16. The bale shape indicator of  claim 11  further comprises a second sensor configured to indicate, in a non-contacting manner, the presence of crop components corresponding to a predetermined area of an end region of the bale opposite the end region associated with the sensor. 
   
   
     17. The bale shape indicator of  claim 16  further comprises a comparator to compare the density values of each end region of the bale. 
   
   
     18. The bale shape indicator of  claim 17  further comprises a device to alert an operator of the density values. 
   
   
     19. The bale shape indicator of  claim 18  wherein the device is a display or audio device. 
   
   
     20. A method of forming substantially cylindrical bales in a baler of the type having a crop pickup and a bale-forming chamber which is expandable during bale formation, the method comprising the steps of:
 positioning the baler to pick up crop material with the pickup; 
 feeding the picked up crop material into the expandable bale-forming chamber; 
 sensing, in a non-contacting manner in the bale-forming chamber, the presence of crop components corresponding to a predetermined area for each of opposed end regions of the bale; 
 manipulating the sensed presence of crop components to determine a density value for each end region of the bale; 
 comparing the density values; and 
 repositioning the baler in response to the comparison of density values to attain or maintain a desired correlation between the density values.